What Are the Common Features of Cancer?
Cancer is a disease that starts when abnormal cells grow out of control and begin to destroy normal cells around them. There are many different kinds of cancer, but all have some things in common. They all start when some cells have changes (mutations) that make them grow and divide much faster than normal cells. These mutations may be caused by many things. They can be hereditary, caused by certain things people are exposed to in their environment or happen because of normal cell processes that go wrong.
When cancer cells grow out of control, they can become a lump of cells that forms a tumor (say: TOO-mer). A tumor can damage surrounding tissues and stop them from working the way they should. Sometimes the abnormal cells break away from the tumor and travel to other parts of the body. When cancer cells spread to other areas of the body, they can cause new tumors and can also damage healthy tissues and organs. This is called metastasis.
Each type of cancer has its own unique set of genetic changes. But all cancers have some features in common. These features help doctors recognize and treat them.
The first step in treating cancer is removing the tumor or any other abnormal growths. This is done with surgery, radiation or drugs. After surgery, doctors may use other treatments to kill any remaining cancer cells and prevent them from growing back. These treatments can include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and bone marrow transplant.
Immunotherapy targets specific molecules that cancer cells use to hide from the immune system. It may also target specific genes that cancer cells need to grow and survive. Bone marrow transplant is a treatment that replaces damaged stem cells with healthy ones. This can help if chemotherapy or radiation has destroyed the patient’s bone marrow, which is where blood cells are produced.
A person’s outlook depends on the type of cancer, how it is treated and how well they recover from treatment. It is also influenced by their overall health and how the cancer affects their body’s function, including other illnesses they have or had in the past.
Almost 1 in 3 cases of cancer could be prevented by eating a balanced diet, staying at a healthy weight and being physically active. But even if someone has risk factors, they don’t mean they will get cancer.
If you have questions about your own risk of cancer, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider. They can help you understand your risks and how to lower them. They can also help you create a plan for prevention and early detection. This is especially important for people who are at high risk of developing cancer, such as those with a family history of the disease or who have had certain types of cancer in the past.
Cancer is a disease that starts when abnormal cells grow out of control and begin to destroy normal cells around them. There are many different kinds of cancer, but all have some things in common. They all start when some cells have changes (mutations) that make them grow and divide much faster than normal cells. These mutations may be caused by many things. They can be hereditary, caused by certain things people are exposed to in their environment or happen because of normal cell processes that go wrong. When cancer cells grow out of control, they can become a lump of cells that forms a tumor (say: TOO-mer). A tumor can damage surrounding tissues and stop them from working the way they should. Sometimes the abnormal cells break away from the tumor and travel to other parts of the body. When cancer cells spread to other areas of the body, they can cause new tumors and can also damage healthy tissues and organs. This is called metastasis. Each type of cancer has its own unique set of genetic changes. But all cancers have some features in common. These features help doctors recognize and treat them. The first step in treating cancer is removing the tumor or any other abnormal growths. This is done with surgery, radiation or drugs. After surgery, doctors may use other treatments to kill any remaining cancer cells and prevent them from growing back. These treatments can include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and bone marrow transplant. Immunotherapy targets specific molecules that cancer cells use to hide from the immune system. It may also target specific genes that cancer cells need to grow and survive. Bone marrow transplant is a treatment that replaces damaged stem cells with healthy ones. This can help if chemotherapy or radiation has destroyed the patient’s bone marrow, which is where blood cells are produced. A person’s outlook depends on the type of cancer, how it is treated and how well they recover from treatment. It is also influenced by their overall health and how the cancer affects their body’s function, including other illnesses they have or had in the past. Almost 1 in 3 cases of cancer could be prevented by eating a balanced diet, staying at a healthy weight and being physically active. But even if someone has risk factors, they don’t mean they will get cancer. If you have questions about your own risk of cancer, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider. They can help you understand your risks and how to lower them. They can also help you create a plan for prevention and early detection. This is especially important for people who are at high risk of developing cancer, such as those with a family history of the disease or who have had certain types of cancer in the past.